Welcome to…
Three little letters with such big meaning…SVG. That stands for St. Vincent & The Grenadines. After spending 10 days in this magical place, I don’t think I’ll ever be the same. SVG has left an indelible mark on my heart. The genuineness and kindness ofVincentians are unlike any other culture I’ve ever encountered. Go now if you can…before this little known treasure becomes too popular.
To many, the epitome of an island getaway means three things: Turquoise water, silky white sand and primo relaxation. And with alluring all-inclusive vacations to wildly popular Caribbean hot spots like St. Lucia and Barbados springing up by the dozen, it’s never been easier to get your beachy fix. But with ease comes crowds. Lots of them. If you’re willing to go the extra mile, you might just stumble upon the Caribbean’s best kept secret: St. Vincent & The Grenadines. Or as locals say, SVG.
Though this string of 32 Windward Islands and Cays spans approximately 150 square miles, only 8 or 9 (a debatable #) are inhabited. The result? Your very own tropical paradise. And the best part? You don’t necessarily have to venture off the beaten path to be privy to undiscovered treasures. Some of the islands most exclusive beaches, authentic food, unique hotels, and historical gems are hiding in plain sight. From an isolated swimming pool in a 19th century tunnel, to a maritime community whose boat building history revolutionized Eastern Caribbean life. From completely off-the-map rum shops & food stands in simple back road villages, to the luxury (you only dream about) of renting an entire private island.
Sounds a bit like a fairy tale, just begging to be repeated over and over and over again. But the people of SVG worked hard to achieve independence in 1979, and far be it for them to give it all back. To tourists, no less. This might partially explain why travel magazines and Google haven’t fully (though more and more are popping up lately) caught on yet. Well, that, and it’s kind of a pain in the butt to access, with no direct flights from the United States. Not that I’m complaining—That is, after all, exactly the reason you shouldgo. Now! Better hurry up though—despite the consensus for St. Vincent and The Grenadine Islands to remain unspoiled, unadulterated and theirs, there’s a brand new, 240 million dollar international airport estimated for completion in 2013.
Construction Pictures: Preparing for the new international airport. Part of SVG’s charm is that it’s way more difficult (& expensive) to reach than other highly touristy Caribbean islands, but I still cannot wait for this airport to open so I can return more often!
*Out of all the places I visited in SVG, I would recommend you see/do/try these if you have limited time…in no particular order of preference.
1. Spend a night (or two or three) at Buccament Bay Resort in St. Vincent. Rather than sticking out like a sore thumb, this gorgeous, ultra luxury resort does an impeccable job of blending seamlessly into the natural environment that surrounds it. It’s not cheap. But it’s totally worth it. www.buccamentbay.com
2. Take the Bequia Express passenger/cargo ferry from St. Vincent to Bequia(pronounced ‘Beck-way’). There is a faster ferry (passengers only, Jaden Sunhttp://jadeninc.com/) which gets you to Bequia in about 30 minutes. But if you’re not rushing, and trust me you shouldn’t be, spend an hour aboard the boat all the locals take inter-island. Be prepared for some rocking if the waters are rough. Grab a local Hairoun(beer), sit back, and just people & island watch. http://www.bequiaexpress.com/
3. Take a ‘taxi’ tour around Bequia – i.e. a pickup truck with a canopied, cushioned back, sitting area. I’m partial to one taxi in particular named De Best. Owned & operated by an honest, super kind, and talented driver named Lubin Olivierre, this is a can’t miss. The island is small so you can probably drive around it during the course of one day. Of course, the more time you have on Bequia to spend, the better. Upon departure you (ladies) receive a hand-picked bunch of flowers from Lubin. You can contact him at: friendshipgapt vincysurf com
4. Eat Black Cake or Vincy rum cake. Thick, rich, dense, moist, heavenly. This was given to me by a native Vincentian, Vynnette Frederick. Her mother made it for her brother’s wedding the day before we met, and she just happened to have some leftover (lucky me). Everything in St. Vincent is homemade, so if you cannot find someone to bring you some of their mother’s, I’m sure you can find it in a local restaurant.
5. Smile. Look for smiles. They’re everywhere! If you smile they’ll smile. They smile even if you don’t smile. Don’t be afraid. Smiles are genuine and abundant here. The Vincy people don’t want anything from you with their smile. They just want a smile.
6. Spend some time at The Old Fort. Run by local ‘celebrity’ (he’d probably chuckle if he knew I referred to him as that) Quirin Schaedle (pronounced Kee-ran Shed-lee), or as everyone on Bequia calls him, ‘King-King,’ this gem sits high on a hill overlooking several neighboring islands. Your stay here comes complete with in-house donkeys and turtles. http://theoldfort.com
7. Visit Black Point Tunnel. Blasting through volcanic rock, the 300+ ft long Black Point Tunnel was built by African and Carib slaves under British rule in the early 1800’s to better facilitate the transport of sugar. To protect the sugar, shelf-like compartments (still visible today) were carved into the tunnel until low tide returned. Make sure you walk through the entire tunnel (it’s not that long), because there’s a cool (secret) swimming hole on the other side. There’s also a beautiful black sand beach nearby. *Swimming is not advised there however. http://www.discoversvg.com/index.php/fr/stvincent/around-st-vincent/windward-coast/236
8. Eat fresh, fresh, fresh, fish at Toko’s Step Down Bar. This hole-in-the-wall food joint sits in the old fisherman’s village known as Paget Farm on the Western coast of Bequia. You have to step down to get inside, hence the name. (Funny enough–across the street is an unrelated step-UP bar.) Chef/owner Toko is a force to be reckoned with! Don’t bother with a menu because there isn’t one. Just ask for the special of the day and enjoy the scenery–locals hanging out, playing Dominoes, dancing, singing, and drinking a whole lotta rum while Toko and his daughter prepare some of the best fish you’ll ever eat. I had fried shark, conch, and a different type of salmon (not pink) with a side of the most famous fruit in SVG–roasted breadfruit.
9. Water Taxi over & have Brunch at Young Island Resort. It’s just a 5 minute water taxi ride from St. Vincent to Young Island. You can see the island from the dock. Be sure to make reservations ahead of time for a weekend brunch. In order to get taxi service to Young Island, you’ll need to phone the resort first and tell them your name. The brunch is full of Vincy deliciousness and served buffet style on a counter full of live, hand-picked & elegantly placed plant leaves. Tell Bianca I said hello. http://youngisland.com/
9. Water Taxi over & have Brunch at Young Island Resort. It’s just a 5 minute water taxi ride from St. Vincent to Young Island. You can see the island from the dock. Be sure to make reservations ahead of time for a weekend brunch. In order to get taxi service to Young Island, you’ll need to phone the resort first and tell them your name. The brunch is full of Vincy deliciousness and served buffet style on a counter full of live, hand-picked & elegantly placed plant leaves. Tell Bianca I said hello. http://youngisland.com/
*I only went to St. Vincent, Bequia and Young Island. Therefore I can only attest to those three islands.
No comments:
Post a Comment